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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 10, 1983)
P»pe 4 Portland Observer, August 10,1983 METROPOLITAN Over 600 Portlanders, many too young to re member, reflect on war, peace and the nuclear age during Saturday's commemorstion of the bombing of Hiroshima. (Photo: Richard J. Brown) Bombing relived, peace vows renewed G R A S S R O O TS N E W S . N .W . Over five hundred people gath ered downtown at the Terry Shrunk Plaza last Saturday night to hear and support music, poetry and speakers that commemorated the 38th anniversary o f the atomic bombing o f Hiroshima. " W e have gotten together a lot o f artists who felt very strongly and wanted to make an individual state ment about how they reacted to the bom bing,” said Peter Janke from Performing Artists for Nuclear Dis armament. Nora Hallett o f the Fellowship o f Reconciliation says she believes the Northwest has a special responsi bility for what occurred in H iro shima. "T h e plutonium for the bomb that was dropped on Naga saki was produced at H anford, Washington — up-river from Port land. "H istorically, Portland has used this day as a time o f thoughtfulness and to try to get back in touch with our humanity. We are all victims o f Hiroshima and a nuclear war that is continuing. It is invisible because radiation is invisible, but it affects us in so many insidious ways.” After their cultural exchange in the park the participants walked si lently to the waterfront in a candle light vigil. "T h e W illamette River flows out into the ocean and con nects up by water to the river in H iro sh im a." Hallett said. August 6 also marked the begin ning o f the Fast for Life. Peter Janke says, "N in e people will begin to offer their lives to say that some thing must be done. Open-ended fasting, because o f the life risks in volved, has a way of speeding up decision-making. The International Conference o f the Fast for Life has issued an appeal which calls on peo ple to act and act soon in a signifi cant way to end the nuclear arms race.” There are three centers where the fast is taking place — O akland, C al ifornia; Paris, France; and Bonn, West Germany. Tw o o f the nine fasters are Americans — both are from Oregon. Janke said he believes the devel opment o f nuclear weapons for de fense does not promote a feeling of security. "T h e more sophisticated the weapons are, the closer we are to a situation o f launch-on-warning where human decision is removed. "W e need to work towards putting more money into peace and interna tional cooperation instead o f taking the stance o f good guys vs. bad guys." Early in the wee hours of the morning, over two hundred people participated in the "Shadow Project" in which the outline o f human figures were drawn on sidewalks throughout Portland. Janke ex plains. "T h e shadows represent human forms in various attitudes they would be in during the course o f a day. W e have a mother and a child, a man in a wheelchair and lovers in a tender embrace. I f a one megaton bomb was to be exploded over Portland they would be instant ly vaporized. The human body is 80 percent water and in the heat o f the bomb, which is greater than the sur face o f the sun, the human body would just evaporate. " I n Hiroshima, when the bomb was detonated, people who were within three hundred yards of the center o f the explosion left behind shadows where the intense radiation whitened their human outline." T o Oregonians, Janke staled, "T h is day should be an occasion to think about how we are spending our resources in the wrong way. Also a time to think about what has happened over the last two years where people were not talking about this issue. Today, it is on the news and in the papers daily. It is in the forefront o f the politicians' minds and I think it will be a big issue in the 1984 cam paign." TEST DRIVE OUR EXCITING NEW CAR LOANS FIRST Right now .i First Intcrst.itc* Rank loan is as economical as a subcompact. As fast as a turbocharged sports car. A n d as power ful as a heavy-duty pickup. L'hir new auto loan in tv c -t rates are the best in years. A nd w ith the right credit inform ation, we'll normally process your application in one day. Once you've arranged your financing. you'll have more leverage to negotiate the price of your new car. Come in soon or call. You'll spend hours comparing new cars. Tike a few minutes now to find the best loan possible. You could save enough to buy gas for a year. O r even longer. O First Interstate Bank MHO? Richardson named to PECI post Oaorga Richardton will aarva on tha board of Portland Enargy Conaarvation, Inc. (Photo: KannaH EIIIa. Craatlva Photography) ¿S « á f e George E. Richardson, Jr., com munity leader and corporate execu tive, has been appointed by M ayor Frank Ivancie and confirmed by the City Council to serve on the board o f directors o f Portland Energy Conservation, Inc. P E C I is a non-profit corporation, responsible for development and implementation o f programs neces sary to execute the city’s energy con servation policy. "Conservation is vitally im por tant to the people in this city, the Pacific Northwest, and the coun try ." stated M r. Richardson. "W e must husband our energy resources, not just for economic reasons, but also the independence o f our nation. I am honored to serve P E C I." M r. Richardson, 44, has lived in Portland 19 years, where he is the supervisor o f budget control for Northwest Natural Gas Company. He has also been active in his com munity. M r. Richardson has served the public and his profession through many organizations. He is currently treasurer and board member o f the Senior Adult Service Center o f Near Northeast Portland, Inc., and a member o f the Planning Executives Institute. He is also a charter member of the Black Oregonians for Business Political Action Committee. M r. Richardson has served on the boards o f directors o f the N .W . Gasco Federal Credit Union, the Portland Opportunities and Indus trialization Center, and the National Association o f Accountants. In addition, he has been a member of the Oregon Television and Radio Service Advisory Board. A At Gevurtz Clearance Center you can always find savings of 25-50% every day of the week. You don't have to wait for year-end sales, moonlight sales, etc. At Gevurtz Clearance Center our merchandise is always on salel Stop in today. Tall them Annie Larry sent you and save money. 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